


we've not yet lost all our graces

by sarahjhutch



Category: One Direction, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Magic, Dark Magic, F/M, M/M, Magic, Magical Tattoos, Multi, Tattoos, i made their parents really bad im sorry I swear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-11
Updated: 2013-10-16
Packaged: 2017-12-29 01:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/999420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahjhutch/pseuds/sarahjhutch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall and Louis are not normal teenagers, they're sad and confused and desperate for something better.</p><p>Enter, Zayn and Harry, who seem to know them and they don't know why. </p><p>"He’s seen this figure before, the trees, the dark clothes; everything is exactly the same as it was in his dreams. He reaches out for the figure and grips his jacket, swinging him around to face him."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. everyones competing for a love they won't receive

It’s a twenty minute walk from Nialls house to Louis’ but he doesn’t mind it, and sometimes he even jogs it to get there quicker. Louis texted him one word and that’s all the motivation he needed to pull on his supras and yank the front door open. 

The sky was dark and threatening rain but still Niall was standing outside of Louis’ house, scuffing his feet on the pavement. Louis ran out several minutes later, his laces flying around his shoes and his hair mussed by the wind and wet air.

“Run!” Louis yelled, his eyes wild and his grin dangerous and sly.

“Get back here you brat!”

Niall did what he was told and held his hand out for Louis, gripping his small tan hand tight in his before taking off down the street.

“Fine! Don’t come home you fucking queer!” His father yells and Niall flinches on instinct but Louis just giggles and raises his arm behind him, saluting his father with his middle finger raised.

“Dude, when are you going to leave?” Niall asks when they stop in the park ten minutes later, his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. 

“When I have the money, Nialler. You and me, mate, we’re getting out of here soon enough.” Louis says and Niall smiles; he’s skeptical but he keeps it to himself. Eventually Louis’ gonna get himself killed, and Niall tries to laugh and play it off but he’s scared of Troy and he’s scared every time Louis texts him or yells for him to run. 

They make their way over to the swings, half-heartedly trying to beat each other to get to the highest height they can. When they were younger Louis was convinced they could swing right over the top. They stopped when Louis fell off the swing and Niall found the old bruises among the new. He didn’t understand at first, until Lou told him that sometimes his father got mad, and his mom got scared. Louis had to stick up for his mom and sisters, he said, but then his sister Lottie took the girls to New York and Louis didn’t know who he was protecting anymore. He just knew his mother started to get mean instead of sad, and his dad didn’t stop when he asked him to. 

They swing for what seems like ages until Louis jumps, feet hitting the gravel before sliding out under him, planting him on his ass. Niall follows him shortly after, successfully sticking his landing and sticking his tongue out at Louis.

“What happened this time?” Niall murmurs after they stop laughing and they’re both seated on the swings again, lazily dragging their toes through the dirt and grass.

“Ms. Allen called my mum cause I’m failing math, and Troy heard.” He shows Niall the bruise on his ribs and he leans down and prods it before ghosting his lips across his purplish-blue skin. 

“Does it hurt bad?”

“Naw mate, just a bit of a dull throbbing y’know,” Niall tuts but Louis just grins and continues “plus, he only started yelling when I told him I was stupid because of my genes. He didn’t take my calling him stupid as well I thought he would.” He shrugs and shakes his head, his feathery hair flying around his face. 

The crack of splintering wood comes then and Niall whips around towards the trees behind them, spotting a figure in dark clothes turning back and running.

“Wait!” He yells and stumbles around the swing, wrenching out of Louis’ grasp when he tries to hold him back.

He’s seen this figure before, the trees, the dark clothes; everything is exactly the same as it was in his dreams. He reaches out for the figure and grips his jacket, swinging him around to face him.

“…Stop.” He breathes, caught off guard with how beautiful the boy in front of him is. He’s got dark lashes and dark eyes, stubble dusting his chin and his eyebrows are knitted in confusion as he stares back into Nialls bright cerulean eyes. 

“Let go, you idiot.” He says, snatching his jacket-clad arm out of Nialls grasp, but he doesn’t move, just continues to stare at Niall, his eyes wide and probing. Louis is behind him now and he places a small hand on Nialls shoulder, soft and barely there. 

“Do you know him, Niall?” his question goes unanswered.

“Niall…” the boy breathes out, and his name rolls off his tongue like chocolate.

Another boy bursts out of the woods then, tall with green eyes that stare at the three of them under his curly fringe. 

“Zayn, it’s not time yet, let’s go.” He says, his voice harsh and unforgiving.

The boy, Zayn, stares at him before ripping his eyes away and staring at the curly haired boy instead. They seem to have a conversation without speaking and suddenly Zayn leans forward and whispers in Nialls ear. His voice is soft and low, tickling his neck as his lips brush his cheek.

“Meet me tonight.” He murmurs and Niall nods blankly as the boys disappear into the thick of the woods, seemingly into thin air.

“What the fuck just happened.” Louis says, his voice cutting through the silence.

Niall just shrugs and turns back around, slipping his hand into Louis’ smaller one, and they fall into step together as they leave the park.

“You can stay over to mine tonight, mum wont be home and Greg’s not back from uni yet.” Niall says, smiling at Louis through tight lips.

Louis knows the only reason his mother won't be home is because she’ll be passed out somewhere in a bar, and she might end up going home with someone else. He also knows that Greg doesn’t come home anymore because he has a girlfriend who’s pregnant and they’re happy, happier than he ever was at home. So he doesn’t come home because he doesn’t want his girlfriend to know his mother, and in turn, she never sees Niall either. Greg loves his brother, of that Louis is sure, but he got out and Niall never. So instead Niall goes to school sometimes, and sometimes he washes vomit off of his mothers chin, and sometimes he sleeps around. More often than not, he drags himself home in the early morning hours after a rough night of sex and booze, and the first thing he does is check to see if his mother is home. She never is, so he takes a shower and washes the stink of sex off of his body and does his homework. 

Niall and Louis are not normal teenagers, they're sad and confused and desperate for something better. 

They go back to Nialls house and watch bad reality television and eat junk food and cry a little when they think the other isn't looking. They drag themselves to Niall's bed sometime later and Niall sets an alarm on his phone for midnight, curling his body around Louis’ and holding his aching body against his pale one. 

\--------------------------------

His alarm goes off hours later and he slips out of Louis’ hold, pulling on his jeans and t-shirt and shoes. He practically trips out the front door, a flashlight gripped in his left hand and his right in his pocket. He makes the ten-minute walk faster than he usually does and stands at the edge of the woods, watching the swings creaking eerily in the frigid air. 

“Didn’t think you’d actually show up.” There’s the voice that sounds like chocolate again, and Niall whips around to find Zayn standing right behind him, this time wearing a leather jacket with the collar popped up against his neck. 

“Curiosity got the better of me I guess.” He grins, poking his tongue out of his mouth cheekily. The cold air is making his cheeks flush red and Zayn laughs and reaches up, touching his skin momentarily.

“So, I’m assuming you’ve been having dreams?” Zayn says, his tone inquisitive with his head slightly tilted to the side.

“How…yeah, I have been.” He stumbles over his words and Zayn laughs again, a loose smile pressing across his lips. 

“Brilliant, how vivid though? Like on a scale of one to ten? One being like blurs, and then ten being, uh… like super detailed with my face in em.” He says, peering at Niall. His eyes dart back to the woods momentarily and Niall wonders briefly if Zayn isn’t supposed to meeting him at all. 

“Like a four I guess, the most I’ve seen is a guy, uh you I guess, wearing dark clothes running through trees. Oh and you’ve got tattoos all over in my dreams.”

“I’ve got em in real life too, Irish.” He smirks and pushes his sleeves up, revealing intricate black ink patterns all over his forearms.

“But why? Why am I having dreams about you…and the guy from earlier said ‘it’s not time yet’? What does that mean?” he asks, his words moving faster than his mouth. 

“You’ve already mastered Harry’s drawl, it’s actually pretty good with your accent and all.” He says, ignoring Nialls questions.

“Zayn,” he tries his name on his tongue “can you answer my questions? I didn’t leave Louis behind to be complimented.” He says, his teeth chattering as he flashes the light on Zayn.

“I just…don’t take this the wrong way or whatever, but…” Zayn trails off, “ah fuck how do I put it? Me n Harry and a few others, we’re...special, to put it in simple terms. We’ve got special abilities and like, special destinies, and you’re part of mine I guess.”

“Your destiny?” Niall asks, dumbfounded. 

“Yeah, unlike you I’ve been seeing you in my dreams since I was seven.” He mumbles and Niall watches as his cheeks flush and he scuffs his foot through the dirt.

That’s when Niall notices his feet are bare and covered with black ink designs just like his forearms. 

“What are you?” he asks, his mouth forming a small O. 

“Dude, I’m still human or whatever, just some humans are different from others.” He scoffs, and Niall laughs a little. 

“So what can you do?” He leans forward, eyes wide and wandering. 

“That’s a story for a different time, Ni.” Niall bristles at the nickname and smiles happily. 

“Hey, d’you wanna meet me again tomorrow, if it’s alright? I’ve got to get back and I wanna show some things?” Zayn asks, and for the first time he looks completely vulnerable, almost like a child. Niall just laughs and nods, sticking his tongue out to dart across his pink lips. 

“Goodnight Ni.” He mumbles and Niall blinks and Zayn’s gone into the woods, disappearing with only footprints left in the dirt.


	2. i took the breaths and carried on

He slips back into bed with Louis and draws his body flush against his chest, running his long fingers through Louis’ feathery brown hair. He falls asleep to images of smoke and crows, and Zayn, his arms outstretched and his chest bare and covered with black ink that’s looks as though it’s crawling.

“Nialler, you’re cold.” Louis mumbles against his chest in the morning, whining like a kitten and drawing the blankets tighter around them.

“Sorry Lou, I’ll get you some tea yeah? That’ll help.” He slips out of bed, throwing on a hoodie and descends the stairs in his boxers, scratching the back of his neck with blunt nails. 

When he returns with the tea, Louis is sitting up in bed, eying his crumpled jeans on the floor. There’s a piece of paper sticking out that he knows wasn’t there when he left last night, and Louis moves to get up but Niall places the tea down and springs for the paper, snatching it up. 

“What’s that?” Louis asks, a smirk dancing across his lips.

“I have no idea, honest.” Niall says but Louis laughs and promptly launches himself off the bed and onto Niall, tossing them both to the floor. They roll around and Louis plays sly, nipping at Nialls skin and poking him in the side and the bum. Louis finally grips the paper in his hands and holds it up, triumphant. 

“Lou, give it back.” he grumbles.

“give it back,” he mocks, “nope, I’m reading it, kay?” He doesn’t wait for an answer, just stands on the bed in his boxers and bare-chested and begins to read.

“Ni, I hope to see you again x Z…” Louis sinks down to his knees before crossing his legs and grinning widely.

“He even attached his phone number, I think he liiiiikes youuuuu.”

“I don’t even know him Lou, what makes you think I’m gonna see him again.”

“You’re implying you met him after we left the park.”

“What? No.” His voice isn’t convincing enough and Louis opens his mouth in fake shock.

“Well I never, Niall” he says in a fake southern accent, “what a proper gentleman, getting you alone at night in the woods.”

“You’re such an idiot Lou, I saw you eying his friend.” Louis feigns shock and leans on his closed fist. 

“The tall one?”

“What other one you dunce?” 

“Oh, uh yeah, he’s cute.” 

“And probably younger than you.” Niall points out, and Louis just rolls his eyes and pouts. 

“When has that stopped me before?” Louis winks and rolls off the bed, grabbing his mug of tea and disappearing into Nialls washroom. 

Louis comes back a half hour later, his hair wet and all over the place with his face freshly shaved and a small grin on his face.

“Used up all your hot water, oops.” He says but he doesn’t look apologetic at all. 

“Ya cunt.” He laughs and disappears into the bathroom, yelping when the cold water hits his back.

They spend the rest of the day playing Fifa and walking around their neighborhood, yelling the lyrics to their favorite songs. It’s not paradise, but it’s damn near close. Soon though, Louis’ mom calls him and demands him to come home so he has to. Niall grips him in a hug that lasts for ages and finally lets go with sad eyes and a heavy heart. It’s times like this he hates letting go of his best friend, knowing what kind of pain he goes through at home everyday just to get by. 

The next day it rains on the way to school and Niall shows up in damp clothes and his platinum locks dripping onto the linoleum floors. Louis stays outside, kissing Niall quick on the forehead before disappearing to the football field and under the bleachers where the rest of the loners hang out. Louis texts him the funny things the stoners are saying all through his AP chemistry class and it distracts him enough from his thoughts of the raven haired boy. He goes out to beg Louis to come with him to English class at their quarter break, and Louis complies only because Niall is in the class with him so he wont have to be alone. The spend the class making fun of the kids in front of them and doodling in the margins of the others notes. 

“You gonna text him?” Louis whispers under their teacher’s radar, and Niall just shrugs while gripping his phone tight in his hand. 

“Do it, or I’ll do it for you.” Louis teases and grabs for his phone. In haste, he whips it out and types a message out to Zayn, his thumb hovering over the send button.

hey its Niall frm t park ! – N

“There you go asshole, I sent it.” Louis smirks, happy that he won.

Niall awaits an answer anxiously during his following two classes, and when he breaks for lunch he still hasn’t gotten a text. He meets Louis on the corner and the climb up the wall to sit on the edge, swinging their feet and passing a fag between them. 

“Has he texted yet?” Louis asks eagerly around the smoke billowing out of his mouth. 

“I woulda told ya if he did, mate.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal, but it is. He feels drawn to Zayn, and no matter what he does, he cant seem to keep him out of his head.

Their lunch break is spent like all the others, Louis smoking and Niall stealing drags. Niall rests his head in Louis’ lap after a while and Louis runs his fingers through his blonde locks, poking his face every so often. Just as the bell signaling the end of lunch is about to go off, his phone buzzes and Niall shoots up from Louis’ lap to read it. 

hey niall, sry I didn’t answer I was in a lesson x - Z

no prob , if u don’t mind me askin, wat do you do in ur lessons ? – N

He nervously chews on his bottom lip and waits for an answer, Louis sits and stares at him with a soft smile playing on his lips. 

‘learn how to hone our abilities’ at least that’s what Lou tells us , it’s a load of rubbish tbh – Z

Lou? – N

not your lou, my lou is a girl aha, she's like our teacher, she sorta found all of us and keeps us outta trouble – Z

Cool , how many of you are there ? – N

5 in this town, but we’re all over the world Ni – Z

that’s amazing ! – N

Want to meet my friends tonight ? – Z

Yeh, same time and place ? – N

C u there Ni x – Z

He just shoves his phone into Louis’ hands wordlessly and grins, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. He can tell that Louis wants to go to, to see the curly headed boy with the bright eyes, so he asks him along. He denies wanting to, but Niall just smiles and hugs him, watching the gentle look in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh god this is actually rubbish im sorry i had so much inspiration for the first hcapter and now it's just falling through, i needed to fill in a lot of stuff but after this chapter i can introduce all of the magic users and show some larry and liam
> 
> plz bare with meeeee
> 
> ily x

**Author's Note:**

> idk im trying out a new thing so dont be mad if it sucks right
> 
> sarah :) x


End file.
